Disposable dental implement

ABSTRACT

A spongy, porous cleaning member mounted to a shaft, preferably at an angular relationship thereto, such porous, spongy member including a stiffened tapered outer rib portion extending about the perimeter of the spongy member, the outer rib including first and second deflected segments extending away from the spongy member with an opposite angular relationship, and exhibiting thereupon a number of points disposed at an obtuse to the spongy, porous, cleaning member, and placed at regulated intervals. In addition, the support shaft includes a tapered end portion at 45* angle to the support shaft opposite the spongy member and provided with an arcuate tapered portion, the tapered arcuate portion forming a flexible pliable cleaning and exercising implement.

Bender [451 May 7, 1974 DISPOSABLE DENTAL IMPLEMENT [76] Inventor: Harry Bender, 2 Overhill Rd.,

Elmsford, N.Y. 10523 2; Filed: Jan. 3, 1973 211 App]. No.: 320,699

Primary ExaminerRobert Peshock Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Daniel M. Rosen [5 7 ABSTRACT A spongy, porous cleaning member mounted to a shaft, preferably at an angular relationship thereto, such porous, spongy member including a stiffened tapered outer rib portion extending about the perimeter of the spongy member, the outer rib including first and second deflected segments extending away from the spongy member with an opposite angular relationship, and exhibiting thereupon a number of points disposed at an obtuse to the spongy, porous, cleaning member, and placed at regulated intervals. In addition, the support shaft includes a tapered endrportion at 45 angle to the support shaft opposite the spongy member and provided with an arcuate tapered portion, the tapered arcuate portion forming a flexible pliable cleaning and exercising implement.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures DISPOSABLE DENTAL IMPLEMENT This invention relates generally to the field of nonprofessional dental cleaning implements and, more particularly, to an improved form of device which will aid in the prevention of periodontal diseases and may be employed in conjunction with one time usage and carried on the person of the user for such usage and subsequent disposal.

It is known in the art to employ sharpened pieces of wood or plastic of generally elongated configuration which are insertable in the crevices between the teeth of the user for the purpose of removing food particles and the like and to impregnate such devices with chemical solutions which become activated upon contact with the moisture normally present in the mouth of the user. Such devices, While useful to a degree, possess no utility as far as cleaning the surfaces of the teeth and the gingival crevices as distinguished from the crevices between the teeth in which the particles of food and other matter may become lodged.

For many persons, it is difficult to practice oral hygiene during the course of the day or after meals owing to'the lack of facilities and the inconvenience of carrying a toothbrush plus on the person in sanitary conditions. For many of these persons, the desirability to practice oral hygiene more than once or twice a day is substantial. In addition, it is desirable to have a dental cleaning implement which may be conveniently and easily provided for disposal purposes, such as with meals, on airlines, on trains, etc.

In U. S. Pat. No. 3,708,856 an extremely useful and practical improved dental cleaning member is shown wherein a porous, spongy, cleaning member adapted to frictionally remove and partially absorb accumulated dental debris is provided upon a centrally positioned shaft or the like to which the porous, spongy, cleaning member is mounted. Such an improved dental cleaning implement as described is easily and economically manufactured and thus disposable, and which may effectively clean the exposed surfaces of teeth without the use of water, toothpaste, powder or other abrasive materials. As such, the spongy, porous material itself may serve as a reservoir or container for moisture activatedor similar dental cleaning compounds. In addi: tion, such an implement may provide antiseptic action capable of combating odors originating in the mouth as well as incorporating therein structure for cleaning crevices between the teeth as well as both the inner and outer surfaces of the teeth. It has been found, however, that one of the more harmful results of insufficient oral hygiene lies in the formation or buildup of bacterial plaque on the dental surfaces as well as in the gingival crevices. Thus, while the use of the spongy, porous cleaning member attached to a support shaft provides certain definite advantages, including both cost saving, fabrication and ease of application, an improvement over such a device is necessary in order to enable implementation of the most efficient form of hygiene resulting in the destruction or removal of bacterial plaque on dental surfaces as well as in gingival crevices.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to provide a novel and unique dental cleaning implement of disposable character which will permit cleaning of gingival crevices as well as breaking up and removing bacterial plaque and food debris, and additionally provide massage and other desirable features incident thereto.

It is a further object to provide a novel and unique construction of a disposable periodontal self-care implement which will engage gingival crevices in a penetrating manner in order to breakup plaque built up therein.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel and unique disposable periodontal selfcare implement employing porous spongy cleaning material having contained therein a reservoir impregnated with a suitable enzyme or antiseptic.

The foregoing objects are effected by means of a spongy, porous cleaning member mounted to ashaft, preferably at an angular relationshipthereto, such porous, spongy member including a stiffened tapered outer rib portion extending about the perimeter of the spongy member, the outer rib including first and second deflected segments extending away from the spongy member with an opposite angular relationship, and exhibiting thereupon a number of points disposed at an obtuse to the spongy, porous, cleaning member, and placed at regulated intervals. In addition, the support shaft includes a tapered end portion at 45 angle to the support shaft opposite the spongy member and provided with an arcuate tapered portion, the tapered arcuate portion forming a flexible pliable cleaning and exercising implement.

The foregoing objects and brief description as well as further objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following more detailed description and appended drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the novel cleaning implement of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the novel cleaning element of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the novel cleaning impelment of the present invention; and,

FIG. 4 illustrates one manner wherein the cleaning implement of the present invention is employed.

In accordance with the invention, FIG. 1 illustrates the cleaning implement indicated generally by the reference numeral 10. The cleaning implement includes a shaft portion 12 which serves as a supportfor a spongy member 14 mounted about the upper segment of a shaft portion 12. As shown, the spongy member 14 may be generally pillow shaped, however, it is not intended that such shape be so limited, the shape taking any form desired to accomplish the purposes of the invention.

The shaft portion 12, by way of example, may be approximately 2 to 3 inches in length and may be formed of any suitable material such as wood, a synthetic resinous materiaL or a metal. The lower end of the shaft portion 12 includes a generally tapered pointed segment 16. The segment 16 may be employed as an exercising or cleaning implement as will be described in further detail below. The spongy member 14 is preferably formed from synthetic resinous foam although natural foam rubber may also be used. Preferred materials include polyester, polyurethane and vinyl type materials which are extremely light in weight and of generally uniform porosity. The foam employed is actually an expanded structural material of a low apparent density, The expanded structural material may be defined as a solid whose volume contains an appreciable fraction of uniformly dispersed voids or cells. Expanded materials may be classified as either the open or closed cell type, a former consisting of a series or plurality of interconnected cells which are capable of absorbing large quantities of fluid and the latter, or closed cell, type consisting of discrete voids, each void being completely surrounded by a thin envelope of resin. The most common expanded material are phenolaldehyde and urealdehyde resins, polystyrene, polyethylene, polyurethanes, plasticides, polyvinylchloride, cellulose acetate, and both natural and synthetic elastomers. In conjunction with the present invention, either the open or closed cell material may be used. Where the closed cell material is used, the surface cells are themselves cut open by the formation of the material around its supporting subsurface. The open celled material will have open pores facing the area to be cleaned. In either event, both open and closed cells result in a porous open celled surface exhibiting sufficient abrasive qualities which is exposed to the surface area to be cleaned. It is preferable, where the foam is also employed as a reservoir, to utilize open celled foam.

Referring to the Figures, an expanded material 14 which may preferably take the form of an open celled polyurethane foam material mounted on a central shaft 12 is illustrated with a plurality of open pores facing the surface to be cleaned.

Surrounding the outer perimeter of the spongy member 14 are stiffened, tapered and serrated outer ribs indicated generally as 18 which includes a laterally positioned first edge segment 20 and a second edge segment 22. The segment 20 is as shown deflected so as to form an angular relationship of 180 or less with respect to the central portion 24 of the stiffened outer rim l8 interconnecting the segment 20 and 22. The segment 22 along the same plane forms an angle of greater than 180 by virtue of its deflection with respect to the spongy member 14, this deflection being indicated generally by the reference numeral 27. The stiffened tapered and serrated outer rib is formed about the perimeter of the spongy member preferably during the formation of the spongy member. This stiffened outer rib may in fact be formed from the spongy member by any suitable processing such as an RF sealing technique wherein the outer perimeter of the spongy member has been stiffened by squeezing or otherwise sealing the perimeter foam material into a hardened rib-like member. The outer rib may also be attached separately by means of a suitable adhesive. In addition, the outer rib may also be formed directly from the spongy member by means of suitable pressure and/or heat. The rib sides 20 and 22 are formed with a plurality of serrations formed along each edge. The serrations are preferably a series, 20A 22A of saw tooth like points formed along the rib edges 20 and 22 at any desired interval. A regular interval is preferred. The points are aligned therewith so as to lie at an obtuse angle with respect to the width axis of the body 14. In addition, the rib edges include pointed segments 28 and 30 at the upper end thereof and pointed segments 32 and 34 at the lower end thereof. These points may b employed as stimulating means or as a convenient massage vehicle.

The spongy member 14 as formed is angulated with respect to the shaft portion 12 as is shown in greater detail in the side elevation of FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3 the spongy member 14 forms angular relationship of preferably 30 with respect to the'long axis of the shaft 12. The deflection of the segments 20 and 22 are shown in FIG. 2 are preferably in opposite directions and over an angle which in a preferred form is It will be evident that other angular relationships than those specified may be employed in accordance with the technique and desire of implementing the periodontic device. 7

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 3 the lower portion of the cleaning implement is arcuately tapered to form a thin, flexible member which is disposed at a 45 angle to the support shaft, is capable of engaging that part of the gingival crevice between the teeth not otherwise reachable, and provides a stimulator for gum tissues, and polishing agent for the interstices of the teeth and other exercises in accordance with accepted periodonic techniques.

Referring to FIG. 4, the invention is illustrated in actual use. The implement is applied preferably at an angle to the tooth such that the pliable segments 20 or 22 engage the gingival crevice. A horizontal back and forward movement of the implement together with a slight pressure against the surface of the teeth will then cause the tapered, serrated segments 20Aand 22A to circumfuse and penetrate the gingival crevice and break up bacterial plaque formation. During this period the spongy member 14 will absorb the dislodged debris resulting from this exercise and will, if same is impregnated with either enzyme or antiseptic, liberated preferably upon contact with the moisture normally in the mouth of the user, deposit such enzyme or antiseptic upon the gum. At the same time, the gums are also receiving a gentle massage as the result of the movement of the spongy member against the gum area. The points 28, 30, 32 and 34 can be employed as massaging points or as a gum stimulant.

The spongy member 14 is further movable over adjacent surfaces of the teeth wherein the same may virtually engage and remove foreign solid and liquid materials in a manner similar to that of the toothbrush, except that an absorbent function is maintained. Slightly varied motions can then be applied to exercise the gum area and further cause the serrations 20A and 22A to engage the gingival cavity and thereby destroy the bacterial plaque formed therein. By providing a high porosity spongy material for spongy member 14, much of the foreign matter thereby dislodged will flow inwardly along the surface of the spongy material member permitting a large quantity of such debris to be collected with a single device. To this end, the foam material should preferably comprise the open celled material which as described above possesses a more highly internal porosity than the closed cell material.

It will be evident that a plurality of the devices may be packaged in a single container, or individual sanitary containers may be provided for each device whereby a relatively small number of same may be carried by the user.

The spongy member 14 may be attached to the shaft 12 by any suitable attachment such as heat sealing, RF sealing, cementitious materials, epoxy resins, or any other known media which wil not react with moisture or the contents of the spongy member to produce any harmful or contra-indicated substances for oral ingestion.

It should be apparent that the angular relationships of the stiflened outer rib relative the spongy member may be varied, and further ribs may be provided other than the two as illustrated, or that the angular relationship between the head forming the spongy member and the shaft 12 may be varied. It should also be evident that the segment 16 forming the curved portion which provides the contact abrasion and removal pick may be placed at any desired angular relationship with respect to the shaft 12 or may be eliminated entirely.

It is, thus, evident that what is invented here is a novel and highly useful improvement in a disposable dental self care instrument whereby a user may be in a position to give aid in the prevention of periodontal diseases and clean his teeth without the assistance of water or a dentifrice. Where desired, as above indicated, the spongy member 14 supported by a shaft 12 may be impregnated with a suitable antiseptic of well known composition or enzymes which are commercially available andwhich are employed to break the molecular bonds of bacterial plaque formed upon the surface of the teeth and in the gingival crevices. Preferably, such impregnated materials are liberated upon contact with the moisture normally present in the mouth of the user. In addition, if desired, the antiseptic may include an odor inhibiting agent as well.

While there has been disclosed what is considered to tirely within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is: v

1. An improved disposable periodontic dental instrument comprising an elongated support shaft, a spongy member mounted around one end of said elongated support, said spongy member including a stiffened, tapered rib portion positioned along a portion of the outer perimeter of said member, said rib portion including first and second rib segments laterally positioned along opposite edges of said spongy member, each said rib segment including serrations located along each said rib segment in spaced relation within said stiffened portion, said serrations engageable with gingival crevices upon periodontic manipulation of the instrument.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said serrations include a series of sawtooth-like points.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said support directions.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. ,103 Dated y 1974 Invent Harry Bender It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 33, the U.S. Patent number should read Column 1, line 31, "disposal" should be disposable-.

Signed and Sealed this twenty eight D3) Of October I 975 [sun] A ttes t:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Arresting Officer Commissioner nj'Parents and Trademarks 

1. An improved disposable periodontic dental instrument comprising an elongated support shaft, a spongy member mounted around one end of said elongated support, said spongy member including a stiffened, tapered rib portion positioned along a portion of the outer perimeter of said member, said rib portion including first and second rib segments laterally positioned along opposite edges of said spongy member, each said rib segment including serrations located along each said rib segment in spaced relation within said stiffened portion, said serrations engageable with gingival crevices upon periodontic manipulation of the instrument.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said serrations include a series of sawtooth-like points.
 3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said support is a shaft having a tapered end portion opposite the spongy member.
 4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said spongy member includes pointed segments at the upper and lower end thereof.
 5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said spongy member is angulated with respect to said support.
 6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said first and second rib segments are deflected in opposite lateral directions. 